One year ago, veteran Berlin Raceway competitor Boris Jurkovic was unsure if he would ever turn another lap around any track in the country.
A violent accident during a weekly race in May of 2021 that saw a stationary Jurkovic get hit by the oncoming car of David Fretz close to full speed ended up sending both drivers to a nearby hospital, with Jurkvoic suffering patella fractures in both of his legs.
The months following the accident have been some of the most physically and mentally exhausting of Jurkovic’s life, but he was not about to let his injuries prematurely end a career that has seen him claim victories in both the All American 400 and Winchester 400.
That determination is the main reason why Jurkovic will be among the best Super Late Model competitors in the country for Berlin’s prestigious Money in the Bank 150 on Wednesday evening.
“It’s been a journey,” Jurkovic said. “We’ve come a long way, and we continue to get better every day. This isn’t something that’s going to get better quickly, but I’ve felt a lot better these past couple of months than I did at the beginning of the year.”
FLORACING: Watch the Money in the Bank 150 at Berlin Raceway
While patella fractures typically take three to six months to fully heal, Jurkvoic knew his recovery period would likely be longer, as the force from Fretz’ impact shattered both of his knees to the point where they could not be fully reconstructed in surgery.
The injuries were only one of Jurkovic’s immediate concerns, as he had to quickly figure out what to do with his Super Late Model program while he recovered.
After losing a car in the accident with Fretz, Jurkovic then had to sell a new one that had not yet been raced since its design would have put too much stress on his knees. Jurkovic currently has two cars in his shop — another new Super Late Model more comfortable for him to sit in and one used by his nephew Eric White.
While getting everything with his Super Late Model operation squared away, Jurkovic was applying an equal amount of focus toward rehabbing his broken patellas so he could return to racing sooner rather than later.
It took Jurkovic time, but he was finally back racing in his own car during the last few months of 2021 and has gradually gotten more comfortable behind the wheel with every passing race.
“Everything is going great,” Jurkovic said. “This was a traumatic injury that doesn’t heal easily, and that’s the problem. It was the joints, and those aren’t something that can be replaced; they had to be repaired, and that’s way more expensive.
“I’m doing good even though I’m not quite at 100 percent. I’d say I’m closer to 85 percent.”
Despite returning to regular competition only a few months after shattering his patellas, Jurkovic admitted the transition has been far from seamless.
During his first few races, Jurkovic regularly struggled to climb in and out of his car while also dealing with consistent pain in both of his knees. He initially had issues feeling the brake pressures but said that problem has subsided in recent weeks.
Jurkovic also admitted to over-exerting himself at times, adding that he needed more laps under his belt to be fully ready for the 2021 Snowball Derby, for which he failed to qualify.
Through the pain and rust, Jurkovic has persevered to keep his Super Late Model program on par with the other top teams in the country, all while having the support of Berlin’s drivers, fanbase and employees every step of the way.
Berlin general manager Jeff Streigle is familiar with Jurkovic’s driving style having raced alongside him for many years. He said battling against Jurkovic often served as a measuring stick for where a driver’s respective program was, and that his passion for auto racing earned him the respect of everyone at Berlin.
“[Boris] is a tough guy,” Striegle said. “He’s one of the toughest guys behind the wheel you’re going to get. He’ll race you fair, but he’s always going to be right there competing for wins. Boris grew up with racing, understands the sport and is always going to unload a car that is capable of winning.”
When Striegle saw the accident unfold last May, he was horrified that Jurkovic had potentially lost his life. Once he discovered that Jurkovic’s condition was non-life threatening, Striegle immediately began offering his support as Jurkovic embarked on a long and arduous recovery.
Being able to talk with Jurkovic in the weeks and months after the accident provided Striegle a strong perspective into the severity of his injuries, but he knew Jurkovic was more than capable of putting in the necessary commitment that would get him back to race-winning form.
As he gradually worked to find a consistent rhythm again, Jurkovic remained active at Berlin helping White obtain valuable track time while also waiting for the right opportunity to compete in another race himself at the track.
RACING REFERENCE: Career NASCAR stats for Jurkovic
Jurkovic planned for his first race at Berlin following the crash to take place at the venue’s season-opening Icebreaker, but after significantly damaging his car in a crash a few weeks earlier at Florida’s Five Flags Speedway, Jurkovic had to postpone his return until Memorial Day weekend for the Money in the Bank Qualifier.
Although he only brought home a 19th place finish that evening, being welcomed by Berlin and its fans was one of the most cathartic moments of Jurkovic’s life knowing all the hard work toward getting back into a Super Late Model ended up paying off.
“I was pretty emotional last week [at Berlin],” Jurkovic said. “I didn’t think I would get emotional over it, but I did. There were a lot more emotions than I thought there would be, and I’m not a very emotional person. I want to put all of this behind me soon, but last weekend was definitely an experience.”
Striegle said Jurkovic looked no different on track Saturday evening compared to all his other starts at Berlin prior to his accident, and he believes Jurkovic will be a contender for the win Wednesday against drivers that include William Byron, Erik Jones and Bubba Pollard.
You’ve been patient, and now we’re ready to release the full list of registered drivers for the @BettenBaker Money in the Bank 150! Who are you excited to see? Drop your answer in the comments below ⬇️ #wherespeedbelongs #berlinmitb pic.twitter.com/kdyQl6WZmT
— Berlin Raceway (@BerlinRaceway) May 27, 2022
“We were so proud to see [Boris] return over Memorial Day weekend,” Striegle said. “We expect him to run up front all night long, and we absolutely think he can win on Wednesday. Knowing what he went through in order to make this return just makes his story even more special.
Being able to enter the Money in the Bank 150 is something that Jurkovic knows would not be possible without the support his family, friends and prominent figures in the industry like Kyle Busch provided to ensure that he could in fact continue competing at Berlin and other tracks around the country.
Although he will have a strong group of competitors to deal with in the Money in the Bank 150, Jurkovic has high expectations for Wednesday’s feature and wants nothing more than to cement his comeback with a cathartic victory in front of the Berlin faithful.
“If everything falls my way, we have a shot to win,” Jurkovic said. “I’m not expecting anything less from [the Money in the Bank 150].”
The long road to recovery is ongoing for Jurkovic even as he makes final preparations for the Money in the Bank 150. The pain in Jurkovic’s knees is still prevalent, and he admitted driving is coming to him much easier as opposed to simply walking around.
Jurkovic does not know how much longer his body will allow him to regularly compete in Super Late Models, but he intends to make the most of his remaining time and keep adding more chapters to his prestigious racing career.
